Fluid mixing device



Jan. 7, 1969 T. M. VEAZEY 3,420,267

FLUID MIXING DEVICE Filed July 30, 1965 Sheet 0f 2 INVENTOR. THOMAS M. VEAZ E Y 5 ATTORNEY Jan. 7, 1969 T. M. VEAZEY 3,420,267

FLUID MIXING DEVICE Filed July 30, 1965 Sheet 2 of 2 R w/ Y\\\\ INVENTOR. THOMAS M. VEAZEY United States Patent 3,420,267 FLUID MIXING DEVICE Thomas M. Veazey, Decatur, Ala., assignor to Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 30, 1965, Ser. No. 476,081 US. Cl. 137-604 3 Claims Int. Cl. D01d 3/00; 5/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for combining two or more spinning compositions for forming bi-component filaments wherein a tubular housing is provided with a plurality of inserts to form passageways. The housing is provided with two inlet lines and one outlet line, the passageways in the housing serving to feed the two spinning compositions into the outlet line in alternating layers.

This invention relates to apparatus for combining a plurality of fluids and more particularly relates to apparatus for combining two spinning solutions for forming bi-component filaments.

As the man-made textile fiber industry developed, it was soon found desirable to produce individual filaments formed from two or more polymeric components of different characteristics arranged in an adherent side-by-side relationship. For example, such filaments constructed of two polymers having diflferent thermal shrinkage characteristics will, when exposed to heat, develop a spiral crimp similar to the natural crimp found in wool. Further, pleasing multicolor effects can be achieved in a single dyebath upon dyeing of a composite filament in which the individual polymeric components have differing dye receptivity characteristics. Alternatively, one component can be left white while another is dyed or pigmented prior to spinning so that a multicolor effect is achieved even though the same polymeric composition is used in all segments of the composite filament.

For over twenty years the devices utilized for spinning of composite filaments have been exceedingly complex, ditficult and expensive to construct, and limited to a relatively small number of spinning orifices. While the patent literature abounds with modifications and improvements on spinnerettes for the production of composite filaments, almost without exception all are based on the principles of forming, either inside or immediately adjacent to the spinning orifice, the composite fluid stream which is extruded in its entirety through either a single spinning orifice or at most a single row of orifices geometrically aligned with the interface of the composite stream.

The difiiculties of the problem and the complexity of prior spinnerettes are illustrated in Patent 2,386,173, issued Oct. 2, 1945, to Kulp et al., which discloses a spinnerette for side-by-side conjugate filaments with septa behind the orifices, and in Patent 3,182,106, issued May 4, 1965, to Fujita et al. which discloses a spinnerette for forming separate laminar fluid streams and bringing them into contact with the interface aligned with a row of spinning orifices.

It has now been found that the careful alignment of the interface of the spinning fluids with the spinnerette orifices is unnecessary and that in fact such fluid streams may be dispersed in laminar relationship to each other at one location and transported over appreciable distance through conduits of varying geometry without losing the essentially laminar relationship of the discrete fluids. Thus, in the present invention, a plurality of spinning fluids which may be either solutions or melts and are derived from polymers which have diflferent shrinkage or other characteristics are mixed to form a single stream comprised of alternating layers of the individual fluids. This laminar fluid stream is then conducted to a conventional spinnerette either immediately adjacent or remote from the mixing device.

It has been found that with fluids or normal spinning viscosity, the lines of demarcation between adjacent layers are well defined and remain well defined even when the mixed fluid is, for example, changed from a square cross section exiting the mixing device to a round cross section within a conduit of %1" internal diameter, conducted for a distance of four feet including two right angle bends within the conduit, and finally expanded to a circular cross section of four inches within a spinnerette holder immediately prior to extrusion through a conventional spinnerette. While one of these lines of demarcation intersects an orifice in the spinnerette, a composite filament is formed. In actual practice it has been found that tows comprised of -90 percent composite filaments may be spun easily and consistenly from conventional spinnerettes even when the spinnerette contains over 25,000 individual spinning orifices.

The apparatus for combining the plural spinning fluids into a single layered stream includes an elongated, hollow, tubular casing having opposed open ends closed by inlet and outlet caps. The inlet cap includes two apertures communicating with the interior of the casing while the outlet cap includes a single aperture communicating with the interior. A laminate formed from a plurality of plates assembled in face to face contiguous relationship is shaped to divide the interior of the casing into three separate passageways, two of which are aligned with the inlet apertures and one of which is aligned with the outlet aperture. The plates are formed to provide laterally extending channels alternately connecting the first and second inlet passageways to the outlet passageway.

In one embodiment of the invention the interior of the casing has the shape in cross-section of a hexagram and the laminate is triangular in configuration and fits closely within a portion of the interior. The triangular plates of which the laminate is constructed are divided into two portions by a slot cutting away their middle third. In another embodiment of the invention the plates have the same configuration described above but the interior of the casing is circular in cross-section with narrow slots extending along the walls of the interior to receive the points of the triangularly shaped laminate.

In a third embodiment of the invention the interior of the casing has a cross-sectional shape of a triangle while the laminate is comprised of a plurality of plates having the shape of a trapezoid spaced by plates having the form of a regular hexagon. The fourth embodiment of the invention utilizes a casing having a hollow interior square in cross-section with three slots extending therethrough on three adjacent sides of the square. The laminate includes a plurality of square plates, alternate ones of which have slots therethrough extending from the center of the square to two adjacent sides.

The apparatus depends for its operation upon the topological relationship of the assembled stack of plates. Exact dimensions are not critical and the individual plates may be formed easily and quickly by a single stamping or punching operation from thin sheet material inert to the fluid under the conditions of mixing. For the mixing of acrylic spinning dopes, 1-4 gage to 26 gage thickness plates of aluminum or stainless steel are preferred.

It is not necessary to combine an unreasonable number of plates to obtain a major proportion of composite filaments with a conventional spinnerette even when the spinnerette contains a very large number of holes. With the mixing device of this invention, a minimum of 15 plates (four layers of each fluid) is found necessary in practice to provide 80 percent composite filaments when spinning a conventional spinnerette of 300 orifices. On the other 3 hand, a maximum of 199 plates (50 layers of each fluid) is suflicient to provide more than 85 percent composite filaments with a conventional spinnerette of 26,664 orifices.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for mixing two fluids.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for producing a single spinning stream composed of a plurality of layers of spinning fluids having dissimilar characteristics to be extruded through a conventional spinnerette.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a spinning solution combining device which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and is utilizable without creation of an undue amount of back pressure.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for combining a plurality of streams of fluid including a hollow casing having a shaped interior cross-section divided into a number of passageways by a laminate.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device for combining a plurality of spinning solutions into a single stream by utilizing a tubular casing having a shaped hollow interior divided into a plurality of passageways by a liminate comprised of a plurality of plates forming lateral channels alternately connecting various passageways.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for combining two spinning fluids into a multi-layered spinning solution so that the composite filaments are formed when the layered solution is forced through a conventional spinnerette.

These and other objects and advantages will be more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims, and drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the fluid combining device according to the instant invention showing the inlet plate with tubes leading to plural sources of spinning solutions, the outlet plate connected to a tube leading to a conventional spinnerette, and the tubular casing;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the' line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 Showing the cross-sectional shape of the hollow interior of the casing and its relationship to a laminate comprised of a number of stacked plates according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing another embodiment of the invention in which the interior of the casing is circular in cross-section;

FIGURE 4 is a view showing the three types of plates utilized in the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing yet another embodiment of the invention in which the crosssectional shape of the hollow interior of the casing has the form of an equilateral triangle;

FIGURE 6 is a view showing the plates utilized in the embodiment of FIGURE 5 separated;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing a still further embodiment of the invention in which the hollow interior has the cross-sectional shape of a square having slots formed along three adjacent sides;

FIGURE 8 is a view showing the shape of the various plate utilized in the laminate of the embodiment of FIG- URE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view along the line 9-9 of FIGURE 2 illustrating the arrangement of plates within the laminate and showing the flow pattern obtained therefrom.

In order to better understand the construction and use of this novel apparatus, it will be described in relation to the production of filaments formed from a plurality of spinning fluids. It is to be understood, however, that various other uses may be found for this novel device such as the dyeing of a solution or the combining of various substances such as metallic particles, thermoplastic par- 'ticles, and other natural or man-made substances with a solution. Other uses will be readily apparent to those skilled in the :art.

With continued reference to the accompanying figures where in like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, and with initial attention directed to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 10 designates generally a device for combining a plurality of spinning fluids into a single stream comprised of stacked layers of the plural fluids. The mixer includes a tubular hollow casing 12 having opposed open ends closed by an inlet plate 14 and an outlet plate 16. Tubes 18 extend into inlet apertures through the plate 14 and provide a supply system for introducing a plurality of spinning fluids from sources (not shown) into the interior of the casing 12. An outlet tube 20 communicates with an outlet aperture in the plate .16 and supplies a spinning fluid to the spinnerette 22.

As best shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 5, and 7, the crosssectional shape of the interior of the casing 12 can assume various configurations. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 2, the interior of the casing 12 assumes the shape of a hexagram in crosssection. A laminate 24 comprising plates 26, 28, and 30, partially fills the hollow interior and, as shown in FIG- URE 2, divides the interior into three spaced passageways 32, 34, and 36. Passageways 32 and 34 are aligned with inlet apertures 38 and 49 in the inlet plate 14, and passageway 36 is aligned with a similar outlet aperture in the outlet plate 16.

The interior of the tubular casing 12' of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 3 is circular in cross-section and contains three grooves 42 formed on the casing wall and extending from open end to open end. The laminate 24 comprised of plates 26, 28, and 30 is mounted within the circular casing 12 with its outer extreme edges resting in the grooves 42. Thus, the interior of the casing 12 is divided into three passageways 44, 46, and 48. As in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2 passageways 44 and 46 are aligned with inlet apertures 38 and 40 respectively while passageway 48 is aligned with an aperture in the outlet plate 16.

As best shown in FIGURE 4 the laminate 24 of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 is fabricated from at least three plates all of which differ to some degree in configuration. The first plate 26 has the shape of an equilateral triangle with its central third cut away from the left side to the base. Plate 28 is a solid spacer in the form of an equilateral triangle while plate 30 is an equilateral triangle having its middle third cut away from the right side to the base. Thus, when assembled in the relationship of the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, plate 26 in conjunction with plate 28 forms a channel 50 from passageway 32 to passageway 36 while plate 39 in conjunction with plate 28 forms a channel 52 from passageway 34 to passageway 36. The different spinning fluids present in passageway 32 and 34 will, therefore, be alternately directed to passageway 36 and formed therein into a single stream of spinning fluid having stacked alternating layers. In like fashion, channel 50 connects passageways 44 and 48 while channel 52 connects passageway 46 and 48 in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 3.

Depending on the number of layers of fluid desired in the single stream which is to be directed to the spinnerette, any number of plates 26, 28, and 30 may be formed into a laminate. Preferably, however, they are joined in groups of three containing one plate 26, one plate 28, and one plate 3% arranged in that order or, alternately, arranged as plates 30, 28, and 26. If desired, two plates 26 or 30 may be placed in contiguous relationship to form a thicker solution flow.

In FIGURE 6 the plates utilized in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 5 are shown. These consist of two plates having the form of trapezoids and a spacer plate in the shape of a regular hexagon. When arranged in a laminate 60 plates 54 and 58 alternate with a spacer plate 60 in groups of three with, again, as many groups as is needed to produce the desired number of layers in the output stream.

When mounted in the triangular opening 62 in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 5, the laminate 60 divides the interior of the casing 12" into three passageways 62, 64, and 66. Passageways 62 and 64 are aligned with inlet apertures 38 and 40 respectively in the end plate 14 while the passageway 66 is aligned with the outlet aperture in the end plate 16. As illustrated in FIGURE 5, plate 54 forms in conjunction with plate 56 and a por tion of the side wall 61 of the hollow interior opening 62 a channel extending from the passageway 64 to the passageway 66. In a like manner a channel is formed connecting the passageway 62 to the passageway 66 by plate 58 in combination with the opposite side wall 63 of the interior opening 62 and the plate 56.

As explained above with regard to the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, the sequence in which plates 54, 56, and 58 are arranged can be varied to suit the required conditions. For example, a pair of plates 58 or 54 can be arranged in face to face relationship to give a thicker flow of a particular solution from one of the inlet passageways 62 and 64. It is, however, preferred that the sequence follow a pattern in which a plate 54 is alternated with a plate 58 with a spacer plate 56 therebetween.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URE 7, the casing 12" includes a hollowed out interior portion 68 having the cross-section shape of a square with elongated grooves formed on three adjacent sides. These grooves form in conjunction with a laminate 70 three separate passageways 72, 74, and 76. Passageways 72 and 74 are aligned with inlet apertures 38 and 40' respectively in the end plate 14', while the outlet passageway 76 is aligned with an outlet aperture in the outlet end plate similarly to the embodiment of FIGURE 1.

As most clearly shown in FIGURE 8 the laminate 70 is fabricated from a plurality of square plates 78, 80, and 82. Slots extend through and outwardly to two adjacent edges from the center of plates 78 and 82 forming channels 84 and 86 respectively connecting these adjacent edges. As before, the laminate 70 is constructed from one or more sets of the three plates 78, 80, and 82 with plates 78 and 82 alternating and a spacer plate 80 therebetween. Again, the arrangement may vary to suit individual conditions.

As shown in FIGURE 7 the channel 84 connects passageways 72 and 76 while the channel 86 connects passageways 74 and 76. Thus, the spinning fluids introduced through apertures 38 and 40' will be directed in thin layers into the outlet passageway 76 to form a stream of fluid having stacked alternate layers.

In order to maintain the various plates securely in position in the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, and 7, three shaped holes 88 or 88' are pieced therethrough. Similarly shaped rods 90 extend through the inlet plates 14 and 14, the laminates 24 and 70, and the outlet plates. A headed, threaded or outer suitable arrangement is provided at each end of these rods so that the plates may be drawn into tight fitting relationship within the casings 12 and 12. A similar arrangement is utilized in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 5 although only a single hole 92 is pierced through the various plates and a single rod 94 extends therethrough.

In order to hold the various plates more firmly in their assigned positions, the holes 88 and 92 are shown to be triangular in shape. Other irregular apertures combined with rods of the same configuration can, however, be utilized.

Operation of the combining device which is the subject of the instant invention is best illustrated in FIG- URE 9. While discussed in terms of the showing of FIG- URE 2 the operation of the embodiments of FIGURES 3, 5, and 7 would be the same, and a cross section taken along a similar line would appear substantially the same. A first spinning fluid A introduced into the passageway 32 would flow through the channel 50 formed by plate 26 into the passageway 36. A second spinning fluid B introduced into the passageway 34 would flow through channel 52 as formed by the plate 30 into the passageway 36. As shown in FIGURE 9, this is repeated as many times as desired to form a single stream 96 containing stacked, alternating, layers of spinning fluids A and B.

Clear lines of demarcation are maintained between the various layers due to the high viscosity and, hence, the aversion toward any significant degree of intermixin Furthermore, the fluids usually exist as contiguous layers only a short period of time before being extruded through the spinnerette 22 conjugate filaments. After extrusion, the solvent existing in the various layers to maintain flowability is immediately removed in a coagulating bath, or in the case of melt spinning the fluids lose their flowability, thereby extending any tendency of diverse solutions to mix.

After the layered single stream passes from the outlet passageways into the tube 20, it is directed into a spinnerette 22 containing a large number of orifices. When an orifice intercepts a line of demarcation a bi-component filament is extruded into a coagulating bath. It has been found that a tow produced in this manner will contain approximately to percent bi-component filaments.

It is apparent that by utilizing the teachings of this invention a solution combining device which is simple and relatively inexpensive can be produced. The device is reliable, and in contrast to present-day conjugate spinning apparatus, utilizes a standard spinnerette.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims and the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for combining a plurality of spinning fluids into a single multi-component stream to be spun into conjugate fibers comprising:

(a) a plurality of shaped plates joined together in face-to-face relationship forming a laminate;

(b) an elongated tubular casing having a shaped, hollow interior and opposed open ends; said hollow interior being cross-sectionally formed in the shape of a hexagram having a portion closely fitted about said laminate;

(c) said laminate being mounted in said shaped, hollow interior and defining with said interior three spaced passageways adapted to carry a plurality of spinning fluids;

(d) a first closure member disposed in one of said casing open ends and including two apertures communicating with a first and second of said passageways respectively and adapted to be connected to first and second sources of spinning fluid;

(e) a second closure member disposed in the other of said casing open ends and including an aperture communicating with the third of said passageways and adapted to be connected to a spinnerette;

(f) a first set of said plurality of plates defining channels connecting said first and third passageways and adapted to carry the spinning fluid in said first passageway to said third passageway;

(g) a second set of said plurality of plates defining channels connecting said second and third passageways and adapted to carry the spinning fluid in said second passageway to said third passageway; and

(h) a set of spacer plates;

(i) the plates of said first set alternating with the plates of said second set in said laminate with a spacer plate disposed therebetween whereby a plurality of spinning fluids introduced into said apparatus will emerge as a single fluid stream having stacked alter- (b) a plurality of shaped plates joined together in faceto-face relationship forming a laminate;

(c) said laminate mounted in said shaped, hollow interior and defining with said interior three spaced nating layers of said fluids which, when spun, will passageways adapted to carry a plurality of spinning produce a conjugate filament. fluids;

2. Apparatus for combining a plurality of spinning (d) a first closure member disposed in one of said fluids into a single multi-component stream to be spun casing open ends and including two apertures cominto conjugate fibers comprising: municating with a first and second of said passage- (a) an elongated tubular casing having a shaped, hol- 10 ways respectively and adapted to be connected to low interior and opposed open ends; first and second sources of spinning fluid;

(b) a plurality of shaped plates joined together in face- (e) a second closure member disposed in the other of to-face relationship formingalaminate; said casing open ends and including an aperture (c) said laminate being mounted in said shaped, holcommunicating with the third of said passageways low interior and defining with said interior three and adapted to be connected to a spinnerette; spaced passageways adapted to carry a plurality of (f) a first set of said plurality of plates defining chanspinning fluids; nels connecting said first and third passageways and (d) a first closure member disposed in one of said adapted to carry the spinning fluid in said first pascasing open ends and including two apertures comsageway to said third passageway;

municating with a first and second of said passage- (g) a second set of said plurality of plates defining ways respectively and adapted to be connected to channels connecting said second and third passagefirst and second sources of spinning fluid; ways and adapted to carry the spinning fluid in said (e) a second closure member disposed in the other of second passageway to said third passageway; and

said casing open ends and including an aperture (h) aset of splacer plates; communicating with the third of said passageways (i) the plates of said first set alternating with the plates and adapted to be connected to a spinnerette; of said second set in said laminate with a spacer (f) a first set of said plurality of plates defining chanplate disposed therebetween whereby a plurality of nels connecting said first and third passageways and spinning fluids introduced into said apparatus will adapted to carry the spinning fluid in said first pasemerge as a single fluid stream having stacked alsageway to said third passageway; ternating layers of said fluids which, when spun, Will (g) a second set of said plurality of plates defining produce a conjugate filament;

channels connecting said second and third passage- (j) said hollow interior being square in cross section ways and adapted to carry the spinning fluid in said with slots extending therethrough along three sides second passageway to said third passageway; and of the square, said plates of said first and second (h) a set of spacer plates; sets having the shape of a square with slots out there- (i) the plates of said first set alternating with the plates through extending from the center and terminating of said second set in said laminate with a spacer at two adjacent edges thereof, said spacer plates havplate disposed therebetween whereby a plurality of ing the shape of a square, said slots in said plates spinning fluids introduced into said apparatus will communicating with said slots extending through emerge as a single fluid stream having stacked alsaid hollow interior.

ternating layers of said fluids which, when spun, Will produce a conjugate filament; References Cited (j) said plates of said first and second sets being UNITED STATES PATENTS formed in the shape of an equilateral triangle with the middle one third cut away dividing said chan- 3 f i nels, and said spacer plates being formed in the r.aun 1C 1 shape of an equilateral trian le said hollow interior 3O6468O 11/1962 Wmslow 137 604 3,295,552 1/1967 Powell et al. 137604 being circular in cross section with three grooves extending therethrough for receiving the points of said triangular plates.

3. Apparatus for combining a plurality of spinning fluids into a single multi-component stream to be spun into conjugate fibers comprising:

(a) an elongated tubular casing having a shaped, hollow interior and opposed open ends;

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

DENNIS H. LAMBERT, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

188; l6ll77; 264l68, 171 

